Washington, DC's Favorite Dish

An official program of the United States Semiquincentennial · 1776 → 2026Created and curated by Goldbelly in partnership with America250

Counting the ballots…

Voting Closes11:59 PM ET · November 1, 2026

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Winners AnnouncedFall 2026

Washington, DC's Favorite Dish · Official State Dish Registry

“If you ever get to try this in the Senate Building, you will know why it has to be THE DC dish!”

Tami · New YorkVoted Senate Bean Soup

“Ben's Chilli Bowl is the whole package - half-smoke, chilli, U Street and Go-Go music!”

Heather · WashingtonVoted Half-Smoke

“DC is known for mubo sauce and wings smh. And yall know that.”

Lyon · WashingtonVoted Mumbo Sauce Wings

Washington, DC votes from the carryout window. The Half-Smoke under chili is the true signature, and the Chili Bowl carries Ben's U Street legacy. Mumbo Sauce Wings and the Fried Whiting Fish Sandwich come through the same plexiglass. The Jumbo Slice is an Adams Morgan institution at two in the morning. Immigrant DC contributes Ethiopian Injera with Doro Wat, Pupusas, and Pollo a la Brasa. Chesapeake Blue Crab Cakes come downriver. Senate Bean Soup dates to 1904. What DC is famous for is served under chili, through plexiglass. So what is Washington, DC's official state dish? That question is the whole point.

Live results

Marionberry Pie leads in OregonCalifornia Burrito leads in CaliforniaPizza Slice leads in New YorkBrisket leads in TexasTaylor Ham / Pork Roll, Egg & Cheese leads in New JerseyKey Lime Pie leads in FloridaCheesesteak leads in PennsylvaniaBuckeyes leads in OhioCrab Cake leads in MarylandCedar-Plank Salmon leads in WashingtonGumbo leads in LouisianaDetroit-Style Pizza leads in MichiganDeep Dish Pizza leads in IllinoisClam Chowder leads in MassachusettsPeach Cobbler leads in GeorgiaShrimp & Grits leads in South CarolinaCheese Curds leads in WisconsinWhite BBQ Chicken leads in AlabamaTater Tot Hotdish leads in MinnesotaChimichanga leads in ArizonaGreen Chile Smothered Burrito leads in ColoradoWhole-Hog BBQ leads in North CarolinaKansas City Burnt Ends leads in MissouriBreaded Pork Tenderloin leads in IndianaNashville Hot Chicken leads in TennesseeGreen Chile Cheeseburger leads in New MexicoCountry Ham leads in VirginiaNew Haven Apizza leads in ConnecticutPork Tenderloin Sandwich leads in IowaHot Brown leads in KentuckyPrime Rib leads in NevadaLobster Roll leads in MainePlate Lunch leads in HawaiiFried Catfish leads in MississippiStuffies leads in Rhode IslandFuneral Potatoes leads in UtahKansas City BBQ Ribs leads in KansasOnion Burger leads in OklahomaFried Catfish leads in ArkansasPepperoni Roll leads in West VirginiaApple Cider Donuts leads in New HampshireBison Steak leads in WyomingHuckleberry Pie leads in MontanaKing Salmon leads in AlaskaScrapple leads in DelawareBaked Idaho Potato leads in IdahoReuben Sandwich leads in NebraskaMaple Creemee leads in VermontKnoephla Soup leads in North DakotaChislic leads in South DakotaSenate Bean Soup leads in Washington, DCBacalaítos leads in Puerto RicoKadon Pika leads in GuamConch in Butter Sauce leads in U.S. Virgin IslandsOka I'a leads in American SamoaRed Rice leads in Northern Mariana IslandsMarionberry Pie leads in OregonCalifornia Burrito leads in CaliforniaPizza Slice leads in New YorkBrisket leads in TexasTaylor Ham / Pork Roll, Egg & Cheese leads in New JerseyKey Lime Pie leads in FloridaCheesesteak leads in PennsylvaniaBuckeyes leads in OhioCrab Cake leads in MarylandCedar-Plank Salmon leads in WashingtonGumbo leads in LouisianaDetroit-Style Pizza leads in MichiganDeep Dish Pizza leads in IllinoisClam Chowder leads in MassachusettsPeach Cobbler leads in GeorgiaShrimp & Grits leads in South CarolinaCheese Curds leads in WisconsinWhite BBQ Chicken leads in AlabamaTater Tot Hotdish leads in MinnesotaChimichanga leads in ArizonaGreen Chile Smothered Burrito leads in ColoradoWhole-Hog BBQ leads in North CarolinaKansas City Burnt Ends leads in MissouriBreaded Pork Tenderloin leads in IndianaNashville Hot Chicken leads in TennesseeGreen Chile Cheeseburger leads in New MexicoCountry Ham leads in VirginiaNew Haven Apizza leads in ConnecticutPork Tenderloin Sandwich leads in IowaHot Brown leads in KentuckyPrime Rib leads in NevadaLobster Roll leads in MainePlate Lunch leads in HawaiiFried Catfish leads in MississippiStuffies leads in Rhode IslandFuneral Potatoes leads in UtahKansas City BBQ Ribs leads in KansasOnion Burger leads in OklahomaFried Catfish leads in ArkansasPepperoni Roll leads in West VirginiaApple Cider Donuts leads in New HampshireBison Steak leads in WyomingHuckleberry Pie leads in MontanaKing Salmon leads in AlaskaScrapple leads in DelawareBaked Idaho Potato leads in IdahoReuben Sandwich leads in NebraskaMaple Creemee leads in VermontKnoephla Soup leads in North DakotaChislic leads in South DakotaSenate Bean Soup leads in Washington, DCBacalaítos leads in Puerto RicoKadon Pika leads in GuamConch in Butter Sauce leads in U.S. Virgin IslandsOka I'a leads in American SamoaRed Rice leads in Northern Mariana Islands

Washington, DC

What is Washington, DC's most iconic dish?

Half-Smoke

Mumbo Sauce Wings

Jumbo Slice

Ethiopian Injera with Doro Wat

Chesapeake Blue Crab Cakes

Fried Whiting Fish Sandwich

Senate Bean Soup

Pupusas

Chili Bowl

Pollo a la Brasa